What Could Be
by Rachel Cabbit
Summary: A collection of ficlets speculating what could be in the universe of Legend of Korra. Strictly AU. How did Korra find out she was the Avatar? What was her training like? What exactly has changed in the world in 70 years?
1. Selection

**Author Notes:** _This is a collection of Speculation fics about the upcoming new series, '**The Last Airbender: Legend of Korra**'. Being speculation fics, no doubt by the time the series starts in 2012 these will have been rendered completely AU - I don't presume to be psychic or anything. This is just a bit of fun that started in the **atlaland** community on LiveJournal, in their Korra Speculation Ficlet contest. I hope to add ficlets to this collection up until the series starts._

* * *

><p><strong>Selection<br>**

* * *

><p><strong><strong>Title<strong>: **Selection**  
><strong>Rating:<strong> **PG**  
><strong>CharactersPairings:** **Korra, Katara**  
><strong>Summary:<strong> **Korra recalls the day everything changed- the day she found out that she was the new Avatar…

* * *

><p>I remember that day. The day my life changed. It started like any other day in the Southern Water Tribe. My mother woke me up with a bowl of soup and a smile.<p>

"Time to get up, Korra."

Even though the steaming hot liquid's aroma was tempting, I was always a stubborn child. I snuggled myself further into my furs and tried to block out her voice. She gave up, and I was left alone. Then I heard a loud crashing noise. It was followed by the sounds of hustle and bustle, footsteps rushing about on the snow.

"She's here! Get the children ready, hurry!" I heard someone say. My mother returned to see me sitting atop my furs, wide-eyed and curious.

"Mama, what's happening?"

She shushed me and grabbed me by the hand. Then without a word she pulled me out of our home and into the village centre.

I gaped at what I saw. A huge grey-furred beast with horns stood before us. Beside the beast was a little old woman. She had wrinkled skin folding around large blue eyes. Her grey hair was tied in a plait.

"Lady Katara! Welcome to our village." An elder announced.

"Thank you." The old woman replied. Her eyes were scanning the faces gathered around her. I gazed up at her in confusion. What was so special about this woman?

As if she could hear my thoughts her eyes locked onto mine. She stared at me for longer than a minute and the village merely watched and waited.

The strangest feeling came over me when she stared at me. It was as though she could see my soul. As she stared, her smile grew, and I felt a warming sensation fill me. It was as if I knew her. Somehow… though in my six years of existence I'd never once left the Southern Water Tribe, and I couldn't recall this old woman and her beast visiting before.

She walked over to me, surprisingly agile for an old woman in the bitter cold.

"What is your name, child?" Her voice was gentle, kind and yet authoritive. Was she some sort of leader?

"Korra." I replied, too awed of her to be stubborn.

"And how old are you, Korra?"

I counted on my hands, wanting to answer her correctly – eager to please her.

"Six." I answered, smiling up at her. She smiled back.

"And can you do this?" The old woman moved her arms and feet in a pose I recognised from my training. The water from the nearby lake floated in the air and twisted around her. I began to move with her, taking the water over. I felt a swell of pride in my chest, but suddenly my foot slipped and my concentration followed. The ice-cold water crashed down upon me. My mother frowned, but 'Lady Katara' laughed.

"You will need some work, Korra. But to me there is no doubt who you are. You are the Avatar – bringer of peace and hope to our world."

Those words started it all. From then on, life was never the same again.

* * *

><p><strong>Author Notes:<strong> _The first few ficlets are rather short. Just about 500 words each. I plan on making other much longer ficlets. _  
><em>Thank you for reading. Feel free to leave reviews with comments andor criticism. i appreciate any responses! Thank you!_


	2. The Chase

**The Chase**

* * *

><p><strong>Title:<strong> The Chase  
><strong>Rating:<strong> PG  
><strong>CharactersPairings:** Korra, Shao (OC)  
><strong>Summary:<strong> Because ever since she came to Republic City, she'd been on the run from haters.

* * *

><p>"There she is! Get her!"<br>Korra whipped round to see the Tu Bao Gang running toward her. Shrugging, she sprinted forward through the crowded shopping district. _No rest for the wicked_.  
>Every time they saw her they would chase her in some attempt to tie her up and throw rocks at her for being a Bender. Not that they caught her – she was far too fast.<br>Even if they did somehow catch her, rocks wouldn't help them. She could easily bend them out of the way, having just completed her earth-bending training. Dunking her in the water wouldn't help much either – she was a natural water-bender. Burning her at stake? Not if her epic fire-bending skills had anything to say.

Dodging a cabbage vendor, she looked round. The gang leader – a young guy known as Shao – was not too far behind. He glared at her, his hand reaching for something at his side.

"Oh crap." Korra panicked, and picked up the pace before dodging down an alley. He had a metal weapon. She wasn't good at metal-bending yet. A gun- though she only caught a tiny glimpse, she was sure. The alleyways were better. She didn't want any innocents to get hurt because of her. That wouldn't be very Avatar-like. Avatar Aang would only get pissed at her.

Her eyes widened as she reached a dead-end of a dingy alley. Blocking her way was one of those damned metal fences topped with barbed wire.  
><em>Think, Korra. Think!<em> She glanced nervously behind her, knowing Shao wouldn't take too long in finding her through the maze of alleyways. Taking another look up at the high fence, she sighed.

"This would be so much easier if I'd learned air-bending already!" She huffed, crouching, then placing her hands palm-side down on the dusty ground. She focused on moving the particles of Earth up, but froze when she heard the click of the safety on a gun.

"Thought you could outrun us, Bender?" A familiar voice snarled.

Tutting in annoyance, Korra stood back up and turned to face Shao. His amber eyes burned as he watched her down the barrel of his gun.

"Who says I didn't lead you here on purpose?" She replied, hands on her hips.

Shao's confidence wavered –he gulped involuntarily. Korra remained calm. She knew she had to unnerve her opponent.

"We need to rid the world of bending. It's unnatural!" He yelled.

"No, Shao. It's just unfair. Poor normal people don't get any special powers. Boo hoo. Being a Bender isn't that much fun either. Do you know how many colds I've caught from drenching myself in water-bending training? The burns I suffered trying to get my flames just right? Not to mention the hours spent stuck in a giant hole-"

"Shut up Demon! I will purge our world of bending!" There really was no getting through to him.

"Oh well. If you won't listen to Plan A…" she slowly moved her arm to her backpack, "then maybe you will listen to plan B!" She jumped up, popping the lid off her water-carrier and bending a wall of water that crashed into Shao. A shot rang out, but it missed and Korra earth-bended her way over the fence. Korra ran.

"Better luck next time!" She shouted back.

* * *

><p><strong>Author Notes:<strong> _Thanks for reading! Updates to come most likely at some point next month. I appreciate any and all reviews and criticism. Thanks again for reading!_


End file.
